Internal Affairs minister Carmen Dan fires Chief of Romanian Police

Anca Alexe 09/01/2018 | 15:30

The Chief of the Romanian Police, Bogdan Despescu, has been fired by Internal Affairs minister Carmen Dan, who says she was displeased with his reaction and attitude regarding the case of the policeman suspected of paedophilia.

The minister also asked several other high-rank members of the police force, including Homicides chief Radu Gavris, to “take a step back”. Radu Gavris previously criticized the ruling coalition’s intentions to change the penal codes, as surveillance camera footage could no longer be used as evidence in court according to the new proposals.

Catalin Ionita, chief quaestor of the General Anticorruption Direction, will replace Despescu over the next six months.

Carmen Dan said she was completely disappointed in the explanations she got from the police about the agent who is suspected of paedophilia – the man had an inappropriate encounter with two children in Bucharest that was caught on camera in the lift of their apartment building and is a suspect in 15 other sexual assault cases.

The minister also criticised the way policemen are tested, as psychological testing methods are outdated and for years the police force has been complacent about the issue.